Electronic mail control system integrating timeslot functionality

Abstract

An electronic mail (email) system generates an email user interface display, with a timeslot actuator, for composing an email message. Actuation of the timeslot actuator is detected and the email system accesses available timeslots from a calendar system corresponding to the user. User selectable display elements, corresponding to each available timeslot, are displayed on the email user interface display, along with message content. When a user selectable display element corresponding to an available timeslot is selected, the email message content is populated with a selectable timeslot element, corresponding to the available timeslot, that can be sent to recipients in the email message.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method performed by a computing system, the method comprising:
 causing display of a single window that includes: 
 a compose pane having a compose actuator; and 
 a free timeslot display portion configured to display, along with the compose pane in the single window, a plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, each user-selectable timeslot display element, of the plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, identifying a different free timeslot in a schedule associated with a user; 
 generating message content in an electronic message based on an indication of user actuation of the compose actuator while the free timeslot display portion is displayed in the single window; 
 receiving an indication of user selection of one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements in the free timeslot display portion; and 
 in response to the user selection, populating the compose pane in the single window with a plurality of timeslot option display elements in line with the message content in the compose pane, 
 wherein each timeslot option display element, of the plurality of timeslot option display elements, corresponds to a respective free timeslot in the schedule associated with the user and is actuatable by a recipient of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving an indication of user selection of the one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements comprises detecting a drag and drop user input that drags the one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements from the free timeslot display portion to the compose pane. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 receiving a response to the electronic message; 
 detecting, based on the response, that the recipient of the electronic message selected a selected timeslot option display element, of the plurality of timeslot option display elements, in the electronic message; 
 aggregating the selected timeslot option display element with another selected timeslot option display element in another response to the electronic message; and 
 generating a result display that includes results of the electronic message indicative of the aggregated, selected timeslot option display elements, in line with the message content of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the results of the electronic message comprise a selectable display element corresponding to each timeslot option display element, of the selected timeslot option display elements in the responses to the electronic message, and wherein the method comprises:
 detecting user selection of a final timeslot by detecting selection of a selectable display element corresponding to one of the selected timeslot option display elements on the result display; 
 generating a scheduling event for the final timeslot; and 
 sending the scheduling event to recipients of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 identifying receipt of a second electronic message from another user; 
 displaying recipient-actuatable timeslot option display elements corresponding to free timeslots in a schedule of the other user, in line with message content of the second electronic message from the other user; and 
 displaying the free timeslots in the schedule of the other user in the schedule associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , and further comprising:
 detecting user selection of a particular one of the recipient-actuatable timeslot option display elements in the second electronic message from the other user; and 
 generating a response to the second electronic message received from the other user, the response being indicative of the particular one of the recipient-actuatable timeslot option display element. 
 
     
     
       7. A computing system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computing system to: 
 cause display of a single window that includes: 
 a compose pane having a compose actuator; and 
 a free timeslot display portion configured to display, along with the compose pane in the single window, a plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, each user-selectable timeslot display element, of the plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, identifying a different free timeslot in a schedule associated with a user; 
 generate message content in an electronic message based on an indication of user actuation of the compose actuator while the free timeslot display portion is displayed in the single window; 
 receive an indication of user selection of one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements in the free timeslot display portion; and 
 in response to the user selection, populate the compose pane in the single window with a plurality of timeslot option display elements in line with the message content in the compose pane, 
 wherein each timeslot option display element, of the plurality of timeslot option display elements, corresponds to a respective free timeslot in the schedule associated with the user and is actuatable by a recipient of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       8. The computing system of  claim 7 , wherein the indication of user selection of the one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements comprises a drag and drop user input that drags the one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements from the free timeslot display portion to the compose pane. 
     
     
       9. The computing system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 receive a response to the electronic message; 
 detect, based on the response, that the recipient of the electronic message selected a selected timeslot option display element, of the plurality of timeslot option display elements, in the electronic message; 
 aggregate the selected timeslot option display element with another selected timeslot option display element in another response to the electronic message; and 
 generate a result display that includes results of the electronic message indicative of the aggregated, selected timeslot option display elements, in line with the message content of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       10. The computing system of  claim 9 , wherein the results of the electronic message comprise a selectable display element corresponding to each timeslot option display element, of the selected timeslot option display elements in the responses to the electronic message, and wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 detect user selection of a final timeslot by detecting selection of a selectable display element corresponding to one of the selected timeslot option display elements on the result display; 
 generate a scheduling event for the final timeslot; and 
 send the scheduling event to recipients of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       11. The computing system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 identify receipt of a second electronic message from another user; 
 display recipient-actuatable timeslot option display elements corresponding to free timeslots in a schedule of the other user, in line with message content of the second electronic message from the other user; and 
 display the free timeslots in the schedule of the other user in the schedule associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       12. The computing system of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 detect user selection of a particular one of the recipient-actuatable timeslot option display elements in the second electronic message from the other user; and 
 generate a response to the second electronic message received from the other user, the response being indicative of the particular one of the recipient-actuatable timeslot option display element. 
 
     
     
       13. A computing system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the computing system to: 
 cause display of a single window that includes: 
 a compose pane having a compose actuator; and 
 a free timeslot display portion configured to display a plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, each user-selectable timeslot display element, of the plurality of user-selectable timeslot display elements, identifying a different free timeslot in a schedule associated with a user; 
 generate message content in an electronic message based on an indication of user actuation of the compose actuator; 
 detect a drag and drop user input that drags one or more user-selectable timeslot display elements from the free timeslot display portion to the compose pane in the single window; and 
 in response to the drag and drop user input, populate the compose pane in the single window with a plurality of timeslot option display elements in line with the message content in the compose pane, 
 wherein each timeslot option display element, of the plurality of timeslot option display elements, corresponds a respective free timeslot in the schedule associated with the user and is actuatable by a recipient of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       14. The computing system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 receive a response to the electronic message; 
 detect, based on the response, that the recipient of the electronic message selected one of the timeslot option display elements in the electronic message; 
 aggregate the selected one of the timeslot option display elements with any other selected recipient-actuatable timeslot option display elements in any other responses to the electronic message; and 
 generate a result display that includes results of the electronic message indicative of the aggregated, selected timeslot option display elements, in line with the message content of the electronic message. 
 
     
     
       15. The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the results of the electronic message comprise a selectable display element corresponding to each timeslot option display element, of the selected timeslot option display elements in the responses to the electronic message, and wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 detect user selection of a final timeslot by detecting selection of a selectable display element corresponding to one of the selected timeslot option display elements on the result display; 
 generate a scheduling event for the final timeslot; and 
 send the scheduling event to recipients of the electronic message.